Stormers go down to Benetton as Lions secure first win of the season against Scarlets
12 November 2023 - 16:02
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Stormers' Courtnall Skosan during the United Rugby Championship match against Scarlets at Danie Craven Stadium on October 28 2023. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/ GRANT PITCHER
Stormers’ failure to capitalise on their opportunities led to their second defeat in the early stages of the United Rugby Championship (URC) season.
The 2022 champions of the URC went down 20-17 to Benetton in a highly contested match in Treviso, Italy on Saturday.
The match produced five tries, with the losers outscoring the hosts with three to two, but Benetton did enough to claim the win.
Warrick Gelant, Scarra Ntubeni and Courtnall Skosan scored for the Stormers while Benetton’s tries came from Marco Zanon and Alessandro Izekor.
The Stormers came into the game on the back of a defeat to Glasgow Warriors in their first match of the tour.
Before that, last season’s runners-up registered back-to-back victories against the Lions in the SA derby in Johannesburg and also claimed a win over Scarlets in Cape Town.
The two sides, Stormers and Benneton, delivered an exciting high intensity game with both teams doing their absolute best to keep each other at bay.
The Stormers looked strong and were always threatening with their maul drives.
The first of the three tries in the opening half was by the hosts in the 23rd minute after the sides struggled to break each other's strong defence.
Benetton drew the first blood when Marco Zanon pounced on a grubber by his flyhalf Tomas Albornoz, who added the extras, to score an easy try.
The Capetonians responded with their own well-orchestrated try scored by Gelant on 31 minutes.
The try came off another solid maul by the Stormers and great cross-kick by Jean-Luc du Plessis, who was unsuccessful with his kick for poles which could have levelled the matters in Treviso.
A bit of ill-discipline by the Stormers helped the hosts to increase the lead to 10-5 when Albornoz scored a penalty after Skosan was penalised for a late hit.
However, the John Dobson-coached side found their second try in the final 10 minutes of the second half when Ntubeni touched down on the back of another strong maul from the Stormers.
When it looked like the side would go to the break level at 10-10, SA-born fullback Rhyno Smith produced a moment of brilliance for Benetton when he scored a good drop goal on the stroke of half time to give the hosts a three-point advantage.
Despite a strong start for the Stormers, who created a number of chances in the second half, it was the hosts who put theirs to good use.
Skosan gave the Stormers a lead for the first time in the game when he crossed the whitewash on 47 minutes.
After missing his first two kicks for poles, it was third time lucky for Du Plessis, making it 17-13 in favour of his side.
But the Italians continued to display great fighting spirit and were rewarded when Izekor went over just before the hour mark, and they held on for victory.
The Stormers were the second side to lose their match in Italy at the weekend as the Sharks were stunned by Zebre on Friday night. The Bulls went to Wales and conquered Cardiff Rugby.
Also, the Lions completed a successful mission in Wales when they defeated Scarlets 24-23 on Saturday.
It was the Lions’ first win of the season after three losses on the trot.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Tough weekend for SA URC sides in Italy and Wales
Stormers go down to Benetton as Lions secure first win of the season against Scarlets
Stormers’ failure to capitalise on their opportunities led to their second defeat in the early stages of the United Rugby Championship (URC) season.
The 2022 champions of the URC went down 20-17 to Benetton in a highly contested match in Treviso, Italy on Saturday.
The match produced five tries, with the losers outscoring the hosts with three to two, but Benetton did enough to claim the win.
Warrick Gelant, Scarra Ntubeni and Courtnall Skosan scored for the Stormers while Benetton’s tries came from Marco Zanon and Alessandro Izekor.
The Stormers came into the game on the back of a defeat to Glasgow Warriors in their first match of the tour.
Before that, last season’s runners-up registered back-to-back victories against the Lions in the SA derby in Johannesburg and also claimed a win over Scarlets in Cape Town.
The two sides, Stormers and Benneton, delivered an exciting high intensity game with both teams doing their absolute best to keep each other at bay.
The Stormers looked strong and were always threatening with their maul drives.
The first of the three tries in the opening half was by the hosts in the 23rd minute after the sides struggled to break each other's strong defence.
Benetton drew the first blood when Marco Zanon pounced on a grubber by his flyhalf Tomas Albornoz, who added the extras, to score an easy try.
The Capetonians responded with their own well-orchestrated try scored by Gelant on 31 minutes.
The try came off another solid maul by the Stormers and great cross-kick by Jean-Luc du Plessis, who was unsuccessful with his kick for poles which could have levelled the matters in Treviso.
A bit of ill-discipline by the Stormers helped the hosts to increase the lead to 10-5 when Albornoz scored a penalty after Skosan was penalised for a late hit.
However, the John Dobson-coached side found their second try in the final 10 minutes of the second half when Ntubeni touched down on the back of another strong maul from the Stormers.
When it looked like the side would go to the break level at 10-10, SA-born fullback Rhyno Smith produced a moment of brilliance for Benetton when he scored a good drop goal on the stroke of half time to give the hosts a three-point advantage.
Despite a strong start for the Stormers, who created a number of chances in the second half, it was the hosts who put theirs to good use.
Skosan gave the Stormers a lead for the first time in the game when he crossed the whitewash on 47 minutes.
After missing his first two kicks for poles, it was third time lucky for Du Plessis, making it 17-13 in favour of his side.
But the Italians continued to display great fighting spirit and were rewarded when Izekor went over just before the hour mark, and they held on for victory.
The Stormers were the second side to lose their match in Italy at the weekend as the Sharks were stunned by Zebre on Friday night. The Bulls went to Wales and conquered Cardiff Rugby.
Also, the Lions completed a successful mission in Wales when they defeated Scarlets 24-23 on Saturday.
It was the Lions’ first win of the season after three losses on the trot.
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